The onion farmers of Kalasag Multipurpose Cooperative have been providing onions to the Jollibee Food Group since 2009. The partnership, through the Jollibee Food Foundation, has provided both regular market access and agro-entrepreneurship training to these Nueva Ecija-based farmers.

Arnold V. Dizon, chairman of Kalasag Multipurpose Cooperative, said that mutual trust – plus a shared sense of responsibility among its members – has been instrumental to the farmer group’s success.

“Itinuturo po nila sa amin ang pagne-negosyo at paano magbenta sa malalaking kumpanya (They teach us how to do business, as well as how to sell to big companies),” also shared Mary Jing G. Contawe, a board member of the cooperative, in a separate interview with BusinessWorld.

“Mula nung naging member ako ng Kalasag, itinuro po sa amin ang food safety (I learned about food safety through my membership at Kalasag),” she added. “Sila na rin nagbibigay kung anong fertilizer ang puwede gamitin (They also provide which fertilizers can be used).”

Interview by Patricia Mirasol
Video editing by Jayson Mariñas

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